The Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (TAPAS Group) is one of the volunteer specialist groups of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).

Dr Anna Spenceley is Chair of the TAPAS Group, Dr Sue Snyman is vice-Chair and the Group has over 350 members globally, coordinated by an internationally renowned ExCo.

The TAPAS Group supports the WCPA in matters relating to tourism, and collaborates with other IUCN and WCPA groups. The TAPAS Group has six key objectives which are to:

• Enhance the level of tourism contribution to the goals of protected areas and protected area systems.
• Strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of protected area managers and policy makers and others in relation to sustainable tourism, through learning, exchange and the development of information and guidance in a managed professional network;
• Provide an interactive forum for individuals working on protected areas and tourism, which allows them to network, communicate, collaborate, and develop partnerships.
• Provide strategic advice to governments and others on the optimum approaches to sustainable tourism in protected and natural areas.
• Develop and disseminate knowledge on tourism and protected areas, including case studies and best practice syntheses.
• Enhance the capacity of WCPA through the TAPAS group, including through co-operative ventures with networks and partners and, in particular IUCN members, and recognize their contributions.

The TAPAS Group sits on the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production.  The TAPAS Group is also represented on the Southern African Sustainable Tourism Forum, and leads the Capacity Building portfolio.

For more information on the TAPAS Group, or to get involved in some of its current programs, please use the links below.

Membership form

IUCN Website